We have used a fresh solution of 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide (drug store strength), 1Ú4 cup baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap to neutralize beta-mercaptoethanol contaminated material. I also use it on my dogs when they've lost an argument to a skunk and they lose every time.

I am not surprised that no-one will touch the thiol-bearing glassware!

You need a hood; don't even think of a glove bag, they are under positive pressure, which will just pump out more stench.

For clean-up, have a bucket of dilute bleach to hand, IN THE HOOD. Put everything in it and let it soak. Yes, the pipettes, tips, glassware, and I also have dropped my used gloves in the bleach if in any doubt about their state of cleanliness. In summary, NOTHING leaves the hood!

I also advise checking where on the roof your hood vents. If the wind is blowing the wrong way, the vented air can be sucked back into the building air inlet. My lab has had this happen with tert-butanethiol; the result is that the building smells the same as it would in the case of a gas leak, since this thiol is what is used to make natural gas smell. Result? Someone pulls the fire alarm, the engines roll in.... and one's popularity plummets to a new low.

Good luck!

Paul

On Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:17:54 -0400
Yung Morgan wrote:
Dear members,

Hope the Summer is finding you well and somewhat rested(?). A question came from our sister school re: working with Ethane dithiol in a glove box. Any thought on this? Also what kind of decontamination procedures for glassware before disposing? We usually find glass only boxes full of smelly broken glass and our custodial group would refuse to remove them.

Again thank you so much for any thought you may have. Continue doing great work and enjoying the last of Summer.

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